Clockwork

Amazing Osprey photo’s, absolutely superb!![emoji122][emoji122]

It’s entirely up to the individual in wearing a remembrance Poppy or not, and understandable given James McClean’s background and where he grew up that he doesn’t. It shouldn’t be a big deal to anyone else, it’s his personal choice. The Poppy bandwagon rolls into town every year and has somewhat grown out of proportion and shape from its original intentions for many. The unnecessary attention and undue abuse McClean receives isn’t just down to his button hole preference however. His most recent ‘history lesson’ delivered to his small children (eek), albeit intended as a joke was clearly a deliberate wind up towards his detractors. In staging this little stunt though, the same respect and understanding he expects, wasn’t offered to the people of London, Birmingham & Manchester etc where he plays professional football (as mentioned back up the thread). Ordinary punters in the stands who may also have experienced the violent deaths of innocents, in this case at the hands of an organisation he seemingly offers tacit support to? It’s difficult to have any sympathy with the guy if he can’t quite see the hypocrisy of his actions here. I can’t see how he would be treated any differently in any other country he chose to ply his trade in, under similar circumstances. Imagine the reaction of most fans in Spain, Italy or Germany for example, if a player (who plays for another nation) made a calculated stance of turning his back on the national flag and anthem whilst visiting another country and as a representative of the club? It’s going to cause a stir isn’t it? As for a comparison with BLM (‘where’s my attention’?) was that just another intended joke? On a more positive note, he’s a decent player with a good engine and who most supporters wouldn’t mind seeing in their line up on his work rate alone.

‘In The Army Now’? (1986)

Didn’t SF launch their 2020 election campaign in the Republic on a platform of reform; promising to address the longstanding issues of sky high rents, an acute housing shortage and spiralling rates of homelessness? ETA, Unemployment was also 30% higher (total workforce) in the ROI than the U.K. in 2019 (Source World Bank).

Congrats Leeds United, great to see em back in the top flight, an English club with a fine Scottish pedigree down the years![emoji460]️ Love em or loath them, they’ll create plenty of interest wherever they go next year under Bielsa![emoji106]

Congrats Leeds United, great to see em back in the top flight![emoji41][emoji122][emoji122]

Don’t remember the day itself much other than watching the first few bands come on, watching on a tiny portable TV in a local bar. Looking back on the video clips and photos taken, it must have been some experience actually being there though. In other news, Sir Bob, currently worth a reported $150m USD and Bono’s personal wealth an eye watering $700m USD(2020). ‘Well tonight thank god it’s them instead of you”. U2 made some decent stuff early on and the Boomtown Rats did record a couple of No1’s but the amount of combined personal wealth amassed since 1985 is obscene given the context of the Live Aid movement and the preachy, moral crusades both are so fond of. The ancillary benefits of self promotion on offer ‘fighting poverty & hunger’ have certainly not been wasted by these two eh!?

Even harder to square the hypocrisy of SF here given that O’Neil herself was demanding tighter restrictions on the general public only a few weeks earlier. ‘ do as we say’ eh!? [emoji849] https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/opinion/columnists/ben-lowry-it-handy-blame-calculated-bobby-storey-ira-funeral-breach-psni-or-belfast-city-council-it-much-wider-scandal-2910926

Really sad news, Big Jack, Norman Hunter & Trevor Cherry all passing away within a few months of each other.[emoji17]

Yep would definitely give you the shivers! Interestingly, the playing field/Cricket pitch next to Sutcliffe’s old house (don’t know if it’s still there btw) was named ‘Salem’! [emoji15]

Sorry to be pedantic, but that isn’t Peter Sutcliffe’s former abode.(Pic 2)6 Garden Lane, Heaton, Bradford, is a detached property with a single garage at the top of the drive (to the left of the image presented, as you face from the road). You appear to have posted a photo of numbers 2 & 4. HTH[emoji846]

Couple of ‘full house’ 39 point entrants this week and heading into December’s Champions League, some going! [emoji122]

The i reporting today that Police Chiefs in England are predicting ‘New Year’s Eve’ levels of revelry on Saturday. It doesn’t appear that there is any hope of restraint, with one Federation leader fearing ‘a return to A&E departments resembling a circus full of drunken clowns’! Let’s hope not eh!?

Just Goudan’t stop yerself from making another wee pun though eh? It’s getting a little repetitive now and continually usurps the running Urda of the thread.

The daughter of a good pal of mine is getting married next year, and has asked me if I would like to go on the stag do of his future Son-in-Law. Suspect he wouldn’t mind a bit of similar age company tagging along, amongst a lively group of lads all mid/late twenties, which is fair enough. I’ve agreed thinking it would be a weekend away tops. I’ve since discovered it’s a FIVE day trip to Krakow. I’m not sure I could manage or even wish to survive five days on one massive bender these days, with a bunch of perfectly sound but boisterous young scamps. Anyway it’s booked now and I’m dreaded it already, even though it’s almost 10 months away! Any other P&Bs been on a ‘Stag Do’ as an older chaperone, did you manage to come through unscathed and any survival tips?

Localised outbreaks in Leicester, Wrexham and West Yorkshire recently, should serve as a clear warning that we’re far from out of the woods just yet. It would be reckless to discard the safe practices that most people have been carefully observing for the last three months. It would also be sorrowful waste of the hardship, stress and grief that many have suffered throughout, only to see a return to high infection rates. Could anyone feel really confident that this hapless bunch in No10 would be able to make a much better fist of handling a second wave? I’m afraid I couldn’t.

Apologies if already posted, just finished ‘Unorthodox’ on Netflix. “A Hasidic Jewish woman in Brooklyn flees to Berlin from an arranged marriage and is taken in by a group of musicians — until her past comes calling” 4 Episodes x 55 mins each, thoroughly recommended.

I guess they have to tighten the budget in other areas of programming, when they’re so bloated in the upper echelons of their broadcasting hierarchy. Shelling out almost 2 Million a year for Gary Lineker to present recorded highlights on MOTD for example?[emoji15]

Along the lines of the above post and the BBC dumbing down its Natural History content. Enjoy each series of the Spring-Watch / Autumn-Watch programmes, but the intermittent giggles, guffaws and corny patter from Michaela Strachan really gets on my nerves. Realise that the show is intended to appeal to a wider audience, just not sure why she insists on presenting her features as though she’s talking to a primary school class. Yes it’s petty but the others seem to manage ok without the forced bursts of giddy laughter. It’s also a reminder of how cranky and grouchy I’ve become as I get older, which then just pisses me off even more.

Plenty of Pop Master Quizzes, from the bank holiday Monday marathon (May 25th) still available on the BBC Sounds App. [emoji41][emoji108]

Posted back up the thread I think, but Greg Jenner’s ‘You’re Dead To Me’ podcasts on the BBC Sounds App are well worth a listen. Easy listening light comedy, interesting & informative. Each contribution delivered by a different guest every episode, aims to dispel many of the popularly held views and ‘facts’ about historical figures and events. Thoroughly enjoyed them. [emoji106]

Wow, that’s a blast from the past, think they may have supported Stiff Little Fingers at Glasgow Apollo 79 ish?[emoji848]

Just finished the whole set after starting around the beginning of lockdown. Absolutely love this programme, can’t believe I’ve been missing this and only just become aware of it after recommendation. Proper laugh out loud moments, no canned laughter, it doesn’t need it. Don’t think there’s a weak link across the whole cast. Cam & Phil are the standouts for me though. Brilliant![emoji122][emoji41] Just a shame it’s finished now.

Would imagine that many businesses who rely on customer footfall, will soon realise that their operating costs on reopening are much higher than their restricted capacity can generate in sales income. Those companies who bring employees back to work rather than pay 20% of their wages to sit at home, will soon start making redundancies. Our over reliance on the service sector will only exacerbate this. Trying to look for the positives in seeing a little light at the end of the tunnel with regards to the lockdown, but the employment picture looks pretty bleak out there for many sadly.

Been wearing one for the main supermarket shop and the odd visit to the local shop since the lockdown. It’s no hassle at all. Only a rough guess but reckon only about 2 perhaps 3 people out of 10 that I encounter, also wear a face mask. Accept that there are doubts over their effectiveness, but take the view that at least some sort of barrier is there to deflect sneezes and coughs and is better than nothing for me and fellow shoppers. Bought a pack x2 of washable/reusable masks online (£10) from a company down in Nottingham that have been match donating the same pack of two to the NHS & local social care providers with every purchase.[emoji106]